Merkel seeks new term as leader of German conservatives

German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to the media prior to the general party conference of the Christian Democratic Union, CDU, in Essen, Germany, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. Merkel wants secure the backing of her conservative party to head up the party's campaign for next September's election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
(The Associated Press)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, is standing with the board members at a meeting prior to the general party conference of the Christian Democratic Union, CDU, in Essen, Germany, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. Merkel wants to secure the backing of her conservative party to head up the party's campaign for next September's election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
(The Associated Press)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a general party conference of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Essen, Germany, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. Merkel wants to secure the backing of her conservative party to head up the party's campaign for next September's election. Word in the background reads 'Future'. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
(The Associated Press)

BERLIN – Angela Merkel is seeking a new two-year term as leader of her conservative party, following her announcement last month that she will run for a fourth term as German chancellor.

Tuesday's vote at a congress in Essen, where she was first elected chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union in 2000, offers a test of Merkel's standing with members. The party has seen tensions in the past year over her approach to the migrant crisis and suffered a string of poor state election results.

Merkel is running unopposed for another term at CDU's helm. Two years ago she won the support of 96.7 percent of delegates, one of her best results.

Merkel told ARD television that she expects "an honest result ... and we'll see what that is."